Arkansas-Fort Smith shot 43.9 percent, and missed 13 of 17 three-point shots. The Lions shot 54.5 percent in the second half, but the game had been decided by that point.

UMass had a 42-34 rebounding edge. Carter had eight rebounds in 26 minutes, and also 13 points.

Carter played a year at Oregon State, then transferred to UMass and sat out last season. Expected to bolster a UMass interior defense that has relied more on finesse than muscle in recent years, he said the defensive styles of his two college teams have been similar.

"All man-to-man defenses are more or less the same. Some focus on taking away the drive, and others on taking away passes to the wing, but there is not much difference,'' Carter said.

St. Francis is 0-3. The Terriers are shooting 37 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent on 3-pointers.

UMass is allowing 75.3 points per game, but its opponent's total has been lower with each successive game - 84 by Central Florida, 74 by Cornell and 68 by Arkansas-Fort Smith.